Process For Making Non-Woven Insulating Sheeting And Products Of Such Process

ABSTRACT

A process for making insulating fabric that includes mechanically orienting wool fibers into a batting capable of being used for insulation, and tacking the batting to a scrim with a loom via needles coupled to a needle board of the loom. Each of the needles includes a body having a pointed end and barbed edges, thereby enabling engagement with the batting when stroking in a first direction, and substantial disengagement with the batting when stroking in a second direction, wherein the tacking is performed primarily without the use of an adhesive.

STATEMENT OF PRIORITY

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/898,400, titled “Process for making insulating sheeting andproducts of such process” and filed Oct. 31, 2013.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to processes for the production ofnon-woven insulating materials and to products of such processes.

BACKGROUND

Insulating materials, in particular those used for clothing, are ofimportance ranging from mere comfort to determining survival. Whereverin the spectrum use of insulating materials falls, there is always themulti-point compromise between performance, bulk, weight, cost anddurability. The optimal insulating material will be that which providesthe desired (or needed) performance (often expressed as “CLO” rating),with the least bulk (volume), least weight, least cost, and greatestdurability. Often added to this calculus is the impact upon, and theconstituent material's reaction to moisture, whether from a clothingwearer, from external sources, or both. Further still, manufacturingcosts will impact the selection of insulating materials and/or thepricing of a finished garment.

Therefore, selection of an insulating material, particularly forgarments, is always the product of compromise. For example, insulationperformance is nearly always achievable, even as again the harshestenvironmental conditions. However, optimal performance comes, to somedegree, with a negative impact on most other variables: (1) considerable(even to the point of impracticability) bulk or weight; (2) prohibitivematerials and/or manufacturing costs; and/or (3) durability, just toname some. Practical and/or attractive bulk distribution of insulatingmaterials in a garment (for flexibility or even aesthetics) may alsocome, for example, at the expense of protection from temperatureextremes, as well as with higher material and/or manufacturing costs.

With respect to over-all performance, wool typically represents the bestchoice for most any garment-related insulation need. Wool exhibitsexemplary insulation characteristics for which it has been knownthroughout history. This is attributable, largely, to the fiber'sinherent crimping and the related mutual, mechanical separation offibers to maintain “dead air” in between them. Wool fibers provideapproximately three times the CLO per unit weight than does polyesterand similar synthetic fibers. However, wool also exhibitsmoisture-handling characteristics that no synthetic, or even naturalfiber alternative can match.

Each wool fiber (measuring about a thousandth of an inch in diameter,depending on the grade) consists of a bundle of corticle cells, made upof polypeptide chains arranged in coils. These corticle cells arewrapped up in a scaly outer layer called a cuticle, which in turn iscovered by a filmy skin called an epicuticle. The epicuticle actuallysheds drops of water. In addition, raindrops, for example, are lesslikely to break up on the surface of wool and seep through, as withother fabrics, since the “fuzziness” of the fibers cushions the fall.Even so, as opposed to reactions from exterior moisture (rain, forexample) handling moisture (perspiration) from the wearer is, in manycases, the most important issue for insulating garments. And therein liemany of the incomparable benefits of wool as a garment insulatingmaterial.

The epicuticle of wool fibers have tiny pores that allow water vapor topass through to the core, where it's chemically absorbed. Wool fiber canentrap up to 30 percent of its own weight in moisture without feelingwet, only to later release it through evaporation.

When used as an insulating material lying close to a wearer's skin,wool's ability to manage moisture in this manner will contribute tomaintaining an essential “boundary layer” of body temperature, “deadair” that will keep the wearer at a comfortable (or even survivable)temperature. Examples of woven wools ability to protect wearers fromextreme temperatures are found in relation to the VISCO-WOOL products,while the non-woven, wool-based fabrics are capable of even superiorperformance, for reasons already discussed.

In theory, at least, wool in any form would be an incomparable, superiorchoice for garment insulation (at least were cost not to be an issue).Wool is still superior in many ways (moisture-handling characteristics,among them), but conventional fabrication of wool-based materialsinvolves the ancient process of first creating yarn, from which fabricis woven. Wool fibers are compressed in the yarn environment, and thiscollapses much of the dead air space otherwise present in non-spun orwoven wool fibers. Thus, more wool fabric is needed to achieve the sameinsulation performance than would be needed, were wool fibers to somehowbe practicably used. This latter issue, however, relates todurability—simply filling a garment or portion of a garment's containedspaces with wool fibers would in no way be satisfactory, in part,because of the inevitable settling and bunching of the fibers. Prior tothe present invention, there has been no practical way (regardless ofcost) to use non-compressed, non-woven wool fibers as a garmentinsulation material.

Then, there is the cost issue. Despite the clear superiority of wool asa garment insulating material, costs alone have driven much of thegarment insulation adoption toward synthetic fibers. At the time of thiswriting, manufacturers' costs for performance-comparable wool fabricuseful for garment insulation are multiples of the costs for syntheticbatting. While the choice of synthetics is most often made, this (asmentioned above) comes at a cost of bulk, garment attractiveness, andmoisture-handling ability. The aesthetics of the garment is also often acasualty of the choice of the bulky synthetic batting, unless insulationperformance is sacrificed through use of lesser material. In any event,nothing among the synthetics choices will match wool's inherent moisturemanagement characteristics (often reflected in the old saying aboutwool: “Warm, even when wet”).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it would well-serve producers and consumersalike to provide a process by which non-woven wool fibers could befashioned into a durable, low-volume, high performance insulationmaterial for garments (and other products for which insulation isneeded), and in a manner, and consuming raw materials such that the endproduct is cost-competitive with conventional alternatives (synthetic orwoven, yarn-based wool or other natural fiber fabrics). Were such aprocess (and the products thereof) to be available, consumers wouldbenefit from all of the superior characteristics of wool as aninsulating and moisture-managing material, while not sacrificing in therealms of cost, durability, bulk, or aesthetics. In addition, a returnto wool as a base material for insulation would lessen the environmentalimpact of synthetics manufacturing and would support domestic woolproducers.

The present disclosure introduces various illustrative embodiments for aprocess for making insulating fabric that includes mechanicallyorienting wool fibers into a batting capable of being used forinsulation, and tacking the batting to a scrim with a loom via needlescoupled to a needle board of the loom. Each of the needles includes abody having a pointed end and barbed edges, thereby enabling engagementwith the batting when stroking in a first direction, and substantialdisengagement with the batting when stroking in a second direction,wherein the tacking is performed primarily without the use of anadhesive.

It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a non-woveninsulating fabric that includes a batting comprised of wool fibersmechanically oriented in a fashion capable of being used for insulation,and a scrim having the batting tacked thereto via a loom having needlescoupled to a needle board. The needles each comprise a body having apointed end and barbed edges, thereby enabling engagement with thebatting when stroking in a first direction, and substantialdisengagement with the batting when stroking in a second direction,wherein the batting is tacked to the scrim primarily without the use ofan adhesive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of thepresent invention, and should not be viewed as an exclusive embodiments.The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification,alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to onehaving ordinary skill in the art and the benefit of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 depicts a loom capable of generating wool batting from woolfibers, according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 2 depicts a loom capable of tacking batting to a scrim, accordingto one or more embodiments

FIG. 3 depicts an enlarged cross-sectional view of one of the needles ofa needle board, according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a process for making insulating fabric,according to one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to processes for the production ofnon-woven insulating materials and to product of such processes.

An illustrative embodiment includes a process for making insulatingfabric that includes mechanically orienting wool fibers into a battingcapable of being used for insulation, and tacking the batting to a scrimwith a loom via needles coupled to a needle board of the loom. Each ofthe needles includes a body having a pointed end and barbed edges,thereby enabling engagement with the batting when stroking in a firstdirection, and substantial disengagement with the batting when strokingin a second direction, wherein the tacking is performed primarilywithout the use of an adhesive.

Other illustrative embodiments includes a non-woven insulating fabricthat includes a batting comprised of wool fibers mechanically orientedin a fashion capable of being used for insulation, and a scrim havingthe batting tacked thereto via a loom having needles coupled to a needleboard. The needles each comprise a body having a pointed end and barbededges, thereby enabling engagement with the batting when stroking in afirst direction, and substantial disengagement with the batting whenstroking in a second direction, wherein the batting is tacked to thescrim primarily without the use of an adhesive.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are usedherein to designate like elements throughout the various views andembodiments of a unit. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale,and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/orsimplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of the ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications andvariations based on the following examples of possible embodiments. Asused herein, the “present disclosure” refers to any one of theembodiments described throughout this document and does not mean thatall claimed embodiments must include the referenced aspects.

FIG. 1 depicts a loom 100 capable of generating wool batting from woolfibers, according to one or more embodiments. As depicted, the loom 100includes an intake 102, a means for mechanically orienting the woolfibers 104, and an output portion 106. In exemplary operations, the loom100 may be fed clumps of wool fibers 108 via the intake 102. The loom100 then processes the wool fibers 108 into more individualized strands,and then combines or mechanically re-orients the strands together viathe means for mechanically orienting wool fibers 104, thereby forming abatting 110, as known to those skilled in the art. Such means formechanically orienting wool fibers 104 may be, for example and withoutlimitation, one or more wire cylinders 112, which comb and align thewool fibers 108, carting and crosslapping the wool fibers 108 into thebatting 110. In some embodiments, the wool fibers 108, and therefore thebatting 110, may be one of a Merino or Alpaca superwashed wool fibers asknown to those skilled in the art. In further embodiments, the battingmay be a weight ranging from 70 to 300 grams per square meter.

FIG. 2 depicts a loom 200 capable of tacking the batting 110 to a scrim210, according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, forexample and without limitation, the loom 200 may be a Hunter, model 54,double beam, down-stroke needle loom, as known to those skilled in theart. As depicted, the loom 200 (hereinafter, the “needle loom 200”),includes an intake 202, a needle board 204 that includes needles 206coupled thereto, and an output 208. FIG. 2 also depicts the batting 110and a scrim 210 arranged near the intake 202 of the needle loom 200,wherein the batting 110 and scrim 210 are tacked together by the needleloom to form an insulating fabric 212. In some embodiments, the scrim210 may be a weight ranging from 8 to 34 grams per square meter.

In exemplary operations, the batting 110 and the scrim 210 are arrangednear the intake 202 of the needle loom 200. The batting 110 and thescrim 210 are they conveyed into the needle loom 200, wherein they aretacked together via the needle board 204 and the needles 206. Forexample, the needle board 204 may move in a first direction A (e.g., ina downward direction or a down-stroke as implemented by some looms),wherein the needles 206 engage with and pull one or more wool fibers(e.g. wool fibers 108) in the direction A, and through the batting 210.Afterwards, the needle board 204 may move in a second direction B,opposite of direction A, (e.g. in an upward direction or an up-stroke asimplemented by some looms), wherein the needles 206 disengage or releasethe wool fibers 108, thereby leaving the wool fibers 108 intertwinedwith the scrim 210 (i.e., tacked to the scrim 210) and forming theinsulating fabric 212.

In some embodiments, the production width of the needle loom 200 is amultiple of 30, 45, 36, or 72 inches, including have a maximumproduction width of 160 inches. In further embodiments, the loom speed(i.e., the speed the insulating fabric 212 is produced) may range from12 to 30 feet per minute.

Briefly referring to FIG. 3, depicted is an enlarged cross-sectionalview of one of the needles 206 of the needle board 204, according to oneor more embodiments. As depicted, the needle 206 includes a body 302having barbed edges (shown as barbs 304), and a pointed end 306. Suchbarbs 304 enable the exemplary operation previously described. Forexample, as the needle 206 moves in the first direction A towards thebatting 110, the barbs 304 may engage with one or more wool fibers 108,thereby pulling the wool fibers 108 through the scrim 210, and causingintertwinement of the two.

Afterwards, the needle may move in the second direction B, wherein thebarbs 304 disengage from the wool fibers 108, thereby leaving the woolfibers 108 intertwined with the scrim 210 (i.e., tacked to the scrim210) and forming the insulating fabric 212. Advantageously, such processof tacking enables a coupling of the batting 110 to the scrim 210primarily without the use or employment of adhesives, resins, glues, orthe like. Substantial reduction or elimination of such additionalchemicals both reduces cost to manufacture the insulation fabric 212,and enables such manufacturing to be environmentally friendly.

Referring now back to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, a loom punch speed(the rate at which the needle board 204 completes one cycle of moving inthe first direction A and back in the second direction B) may range from200 to 400 strokes per minute. In further embodiments, a needlepenetration per square inch (NPPSI) of the needle loom 200 may rangefrom 200 to 450 NPPSI. Moreover, in some embodiments, the needle board204 may have a needle density ranging from 75 to 115 needles 206 perlinear board inch. In other embodiments, the loom punch speed isapproximately 400 strokes per minute, the NPPSI is one of a range from350 to 450, the scrim is a weight of approximately 17 grams per squaremeter, and the loom speed is approximately 25 feet per minute.Advantageously, such embodiments enable manufacturing of insulation withvarious bulk weight, CLO ranges, and durability.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a process 400 for making insulating fabric,according to one or more embodiments. At block 402, wool fibers aremechanically oriented into a batting capable of being used forinsulation. Such may occur via a loom, where chunks or clusters of thewool fibers are arranged at an input of the loom and conveyedtherethrough. The wool fibers are broken into more individualizedstrands, and then recombined and reoriented back together, for example,via one or more wire cylinders or other similar means as known to thoseskilled in the art which may comb and crosslap the wool fibers into aresulting batting. In some embodiments, the wool fibers, and thereforethe batting, may be one of a Merino or Alpaca superwashed wool fibers asknown to those skilled in the art. In further embodiments, the battingmay be a weight ranging from 70 to 300 grams per square meter.

At block 404, the batting is tacked to a scrim with a loom via needlescoupled to a needle board of the loom (thus, hereinafter, the “needleloom”). In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, theneedle loom may be a Hunter, model 54, double beam, down-stroke needleloom, as known to those skilled in the art. In other embodiments, thescrim 210 may be a weight ranging from 8 to 34 grams per square meter.

The needles may each include a body having a pointed end and barbededges, thereby enabling engagement with the batting when stroking in afirst direction (e.g., in a downward direction or a down-stroke asimplemented by some looms), and substantial disengagement with strokingin a second direction (e.g., in an upward direction or an up-stroke asimplemented by some looms), thereby substantially coupling the battingto the scrim to form the insulation fabric.

More particularly, in exemplary operation, the barbed edges act tocouple the batting to the scrim by first engaging with one or more ofthe wool fibers of the batting when stroking in the first direction(e.g., the downward direction or down-stroke). As the needle movesthrough the scrim, the wool fibers are correspondingly pulled throughthe scrim, thereby causing intertwinement of the batting to the scrim.Afterwards, the needle moves in a second direction (e.g., in the upwarddirection or up-stroke) and the barbs disengage from the wool fibers,thereby leaving the wool fibers intertwined with the scrim (i.e., tackedto the scrim) and forming the insulating fabric. Advantageously, suchprocess of tacking enables coupling of the batting to the scrimprimarily without the use or employment of adhesives, resins, glues, orthe like. In turn, due to the substantially reduction or elimination ofadditional chemicals, manufacturing costs are reduced, and theinsulation fabric is more environmentally friendly.

In some embodiments, the production width of the needle loom is amultiple of 30, 45, 36, or 72 inches, including have a maximumproduction width of 160 inches. In further embodiments, the loom speed(i.e., the speed the insulating fabric is produced) may range from 12 to30 feet per minute. In other embodiments, a loom punch speed (the rateat which the needle board completes one cycle of moving in the firstdirection and back in the second direction) may range from 200 to 400strokes per minute. In further embodiments, a needle penetration persquare inch (NPPSI) of the needle loom 200 may range from 200 to 450NPPSI. Moreover, in some embodiments, the needle board may have a needledensity ranging from 75 to 115 needles per linear board inch. In otherembodiments, the loom punch speed is approximately 400 strokes perminute, the NPPSI is one of a range from 350 to 450, the scrim is aweight of approximately 17 grams per square meter, and the loom speed isapproximately 25 feet per minute. Advantageously, such embodimentsenable manufacturing of insulation with various bulk weight, CLO ranges,and durability.

Although the disclosure has been described and illustrated with respectto exemplary objects thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that various other changes, omissions, and additions may be madetherein and thereto without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for making insulating fabric,comprising: mechanically orienting wool fibers into a batting capable ofbeing used for insulation; and tacking said batting to a scrim with aloom via needles coupled to a needle board of said loom, wherein saidneedles each comprise a body having a pointed end and barbed edges,thereby enabling engagement with said batting when stroking in a firstdirection, and substantial disengagement with said batting when strokingin a second direction, and wherein said tacking is performed primarilywithout the use of an adhesive.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein saidwool fibers are one of a Merino or Alpaca superwashed wool fibers. 3.The process of claim 1, wherein a loom punch speed is one from a rangeof 200 to 400 strokes per minute.
 4. The process of claim 1, wherein aneedle penetration per square inch (NPPSI) of said loom is one from arange of 200 to
 450. 5. The process of claim 1, wherein a needle densityof said needle board is one from a range of 75 to 115 needles per linearboard inch.
 6. The process of claim 1, wherein said production width ofsaid loom is a multiple of 30, 45, 36, or 72 inches, wherein a maximumproduction width is 160 inches.
 7. The process of claim 1, wherein ascrim weight is one from a range of 8 to 34 grams per square meter. 8.The process of claim 1, wherein a loom speed is one of a range of 12 to30 feet per minute.
 9. The process of claim 1, wherein a batting weightis one of a range from 70 to 300 grams per square meter.
 10. The processof claim 1, wherein a loom punch speed is approximately 400 strokes perminute, an NPPSI is one of a range from 350 to 450, said scrim is aweight of approximately 17 grams per square meter, and a loom speed isapproximately 25 feet per minute.
 11. A non-woven insulating fabric,comprising: a batting comprised of wool fibers mechanically oriented ina fashion capable of being used for insulation; and a scrim having saidbatting tacked thereto via a loom having needles coupled to a needleboard, wherein said needles each comprise a body having a pointed endand barbed edges, thereby enabling engagement with said batting whenstroking in a first direction, and substantial disengagement with saidbatting when stroking in a second direction, and wherein said batting istacked to said scrim primarily without the use of an adhesive.
 12. Thefabric of claim 11, wherein said wool fibers are one of a Merino orAlpaca superwashed wool fibers.
 13. The fabric of claim 11, wherein aloom punch speed of said loom is one from a range of 200 to 400 strokesper minute.
 14. The fabric of claim 11, wherein a needle penetration persquare inch (NPPSI) of said loom is one from a range of 200 to
 450. 15.The fabric of claim 11, wherein a needle density of said needle board isone from a range of 75 to 115 needles per linear board inch.
 16. Thefabric of claim 11, wherein said production width of said loom is amultiple of 30, 45, 36, or 72 inches, wherein a maximum production widthis 160 inches.
 17. The fabric of claim 11, wherein a scrim weight is onefrom a range of 8 to 34 grams per square meter.
 18. The fabric of claim11, wherein a loom speed is one of a range of 12 to 30 feet per minute.19. The fabric of claim 11, wherein a batting weight is one of a rangefrom 70 to 300 grams per square meter.
 20. The fabric of claim 11,wherein a loom punch speed is approximately 400 strokes per minute, anNPPSI is one of a range from 350 to 450, said scrim is a weight ofapproximately 17 grams per square meter, and a loom speed isapproximately 25 feet per minute.